Method and system for vacuum vapor deposition of functional materials in space

ABSTRACT

A method and system for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material to form functional materials, including a coating, a thin film material, or a thick film material, upon a substrate in space utilizes: a substrate support structure associated with a space platform; a depositor for the deposition material; and a moveable elongate arm associated with a space platform that provides relative movement between the substrate and the depositor.

1. RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit, and priority benefit, of U.S.Patent Application Ser. No. 62/829,464 filed Apr. 4, 2019, entitledMethod and System for Vacuum Vapor Deposition of Functional Thin FilmCoatings in Space, the disclosure and contents of which are incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 2. Field of the Disclosure

This disclosure relates generally to the field of vacuum vapordeposition of functional materials onto a substrate in a spaceenvironment.

3. Description of the Related Art

The NASA-sponsored Wake Shield Facility (WSF) program was a free-flyingfabrication facility on a disc-shaped spacecraft, deployed from theSpace Shuttle in low earth orbit (“LEO”) for the growth of epitaxialsemiconductor thin films in the vacuum of space. The forward edge of theWSF disk redirected LEO residual atmospheric and other particles aroundits sides, leaving an “ultra-vacuum” in its wake. The first-evercrystalline semiconductor thin films were grown in this vacuum wakeregion of space. These included gallium arsenide (GaAs) and aluminumgallium arsenide (AlGaAs) depositions.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosed subjectmatter in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of thesubject matter disclosed herein. This summary is not an exhaustiveoverview of the technology disclosed herein. It is not intended toidentify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate thescope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts ina simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that isdiscussed later.

In one exemplary embodiment, the system for vacuum vapor deposition of adeposition material upon a substrate in a space environment maycomprise; a substrate support structure associated with a space platformin the space environment; a depositor for the deposition material; anenergy source associated with the depositor to excite the depositionmaterial to form a vapor of the deposition material; and a moveableelongate member, associated with the depositor, to move the depositorover the substrate, whereby the vapor of the deposition material fromthe depositor may pass over the substrate and flow to the substrate tocoat the substrate with the deposition material.

In another exemplary embodiment, a method for vacuum vapor deposition ofa deposition material upon a substrate in a space environment to form afunctional material on the substrate, may comprise; disposing asubstrate on a substrate support structure associated with a spaceplatform in the space environment; providing a depositor for thedeposition material; providing an energy source associated withdepositor and exciting the deposition material to form a vapor of thedeposition material; providing a moveable elongate member, associatedwith the depositor; and moving the depositor and the elongate member topass over the substrate to direct the vapor of the deposition materialto flow to the substrate to form a functional material on the substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present method and system for vacuum vapor deposition of functionalmaterials in space may be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a system for vacuum vapor deposition ofa deposition material upon a substrate in a space environment inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the system for vacuum vapordeposition of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of another embodiment of thesystem for vacuum vapor deposition of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a portion of thesystem for vacuum vapor deposition of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a system for vacuum vapor deposition inaccordance with another illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the system of FIG. 1, which includesoverspray shields associated with a substrate;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of another embodiment of thesystem for vacuum vapor deposition of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the system of FIG. 7, when viewed in thedirection of arrow 8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the system of FIG. 7, when viewed in thedirection of arrow 9 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the system forvacuum deposition of FIG. 1, wherein the substrate is a linear element;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the system forvacuum deposition of FIG. 1, wherein the substrate is a joint betweentwo structural elements;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an additional component for use withthe system of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the component ofFIG. 12.

While certain embodiments of the present method and system for vacuumvapor deposition of functional materials in space will be described inconnection with the present exemplary embodiments shown herein, it willbe understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to thoseembodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives,modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the drawingfigures, which are not to scale, the same reference numerals are usedthroughout the description and in the drawing figures for components andelements having the same structure, and primed reference numerals areused for components and elements having a similar function andconstruction to those components and elements having the same unprimedreference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

It should be understood that, although an illustrative implementation ofone or more exemplary embodiments are provided below, the variousspecific exemplary embodiments may be implemented using any number oftechniques known by persons of ordinary skill in the art. The disclosureshould in no way be limited to the exemplary embodiments, drawings,and/or techniques illustrated below, including the exemplary designs andimplementations illustrated and described herein. Furthermore, thedisclosure may be modified within the scope of the appended claims alongwith their full scope of equivalents.

Future space-based earth observation, communications, astrophysics andother space missions are demanding higher performance functionalpayloads and sensors as more of the world's telecommunicationinfrastructure and reliance on earth surveillance is provided byspace-based assets. This will result in the need to produce continuallylarger antennas, radars, reflectors, and photovoltaic power systems forin-space assets with an emphasis on affordability and system resilience.To date, space hardware has been designed around the limitation of alaunch vehicle's payload capacity, reducing its capability to providelarger antennas, reflectors, radars, and photovoltaic power systems. Ifthese size-critical hardware components were to be manufactured inspace, the natural vacuum of space could be used to perform vacuum vapordeposition to construct these hardware components and systems on-orbit.These components and systems will be capable of in-space repair andexpansion enabling response to changing requirements and demands. It isbelieved that the production of ultra-large antennas, reflectors,radars, reflective surfaces, and photovoltaic power systems on-orbit maybe achieved with effectively unlimited aperture sizes and extremely lowareal densities for space-based assets.

Vacuum vapor deposition is a terrestrial manufacturing process used tofabricate functional coatings—reflective, emissive, absorptive, etc.—toproduce a variety of products including crystalline thin film devicessuch as solar cells and transistors. This process is proposed to be usedin the space environment which includes in: free space; a low earthorbit (“LEO”); a sun-synchronous orbit (“SSO”); a medium earth orbit(“MEO”); a geostationary, or geosynchronous, orbit (“GEO”); other earthorbits; and cis-lunar space, as well as on the surface of the moon, orother planetary bodies having reduced atmospheres, such as other moons,asteroids, and other planets, e.g., Mercury, Mars, etc.

A vacuum vapor deposition process may take advantage of the naturalvacuum in a space environment to deposit atomically layered materials inthe fabrication of a wide variety of functional coatings, thin filmmaterials, and thick film materials for fabrication of functionalhardware such as phased array antennas, antenna reflectors, syntheticaperture radar antennas, radar, other reflectors, photovoltaic cells,and power transmission wires in-space with ultra-large dimensions andquality which can be integrated with space assets to perform a varietyof space missions.

Considering space-based deployable technology manufactured terrestriallyis reaching its practical limits with the advent of the James Webb SpaceTelescope's deployable 6.5 m (21.4 ft) segmented primary mirror system,it is proposed to manufacture extremely large components in the spaceenvironment with the present method and system. Manufacturing antennas,reflectors, and photovoltaic power systems in the vacuum of space couldprovide the opportunity to utilize nearly unlimited aperture sizes withextremely low areal densities for space-based assets providing vast newcapabilities for space users.

It is believed that the present method and system for vacuum vapordeposition of functional coatings, thin film and thick film materialswill enable the fabrication of functional materials in space and can beapplied to the manufacture of ultra-large objects—greater than 50 metersin diameter—and components of spacecraft, satellites, and other spaceassets. The present method and system provides direct applications tospace-based assets including: in-space fabrication of phasedarray/antennas, antenna reflectors, reflecting antennas, syntheticaperture radar, radar reflectors, mirrors, photovoltaic cells,transmission cables and wiring; fabrication of interconnected dipoleantennas, and reflective surfaces for mirrors; fabrication of antennareflectors to be applied to remote sensing, astrophysical andcommunication missions; and in-space servicing of assets to repairfunctional coatings, restore functional materials, and upgradespace-assets on orbit. Fabricating these components in space hassignificant advantages over Earth manufactured space systems, as missionplanners are able to: a) increase performance, robustness, and stabilityof space assets; b) eliminate the design limitations of launch (size,volume, durability) of Earth manufactured antennas; c) develop newdesigns with a greater variety of materials; d) continually scale,upgrade and restore space manufactured components; and e) enable a moreefficient supply chain architecture to manufacture and operatecomponents from space.

The present method and system can fabricate, repair, restore, andupgrade space assets, including coatings, and thin film and thick filmmaterials on space assets. The present method and system also has theability to fabricate or recoat emissive, absorptive, reflectivecoatings, and other functional materials, fabricate and restorephotovoltaic (“PV”) power systems and other functional materials, andcontinually upgrade space assets.

Due to the flexible nature of vacuum vapor deposition in the spacevacuum environment, the substrates for functional coatings can befabricated in-space utilizing additive manufacturing, or can be Earthmanufactured, launched and robotically assembled or deployed on orbitfor use in the space vacuum vapor deposition process. The vacuum vapordeposition process involves depositing element vapors over an area, oneatomic layer at a time. Vacuum vapor deposition builds functionalmaterials by atomically layering specific elements into uniqueconfigurations, thus fabricating advanced thin-film functionalmaterials. As an example, the manufacture of large antennas andreflective surfaces may be made by depositing the following materials tofabricate reflective surface coatings and antennas: Ag, Al, Au, Be, Ca,Mg and Ti, among others.

The present method and system may be used to fabricate antennas,reflectors, radars, photovoltaic power systems, other functionalmaterials, and other absorptive, reflective and emissive coatingsin-space by directly depositing materials on a substrate in the vacuumof space

Functional materials may be deposited in space's vacuum onto a substrateusing vacuum vapor deposition to create antennas, reflectors, radars,photovoltaic power systems, and other functional materials. Thedeposition process may be thermal evaporation, ion-beamevaporation/sputtering, electron beam evaporation, laser deposition orother more complex physical deposition techniques. The depositionprocess may also be chemical deposition, including chemical vapordeposition, metal/organic chemical vapor deposition, metal-organicdeposition, or other chemical vapor deposition processes. While thefabrication process of an antenna and reflective surface are similar,different deposition approaches may be used to optimize the fabricationprocess.

As an example, the in-space fabrication of thin-film microwave antennasand radar antennas involves producing interconnected antenna elements,directly deposited on a substrate to form a large area antenna array viathin metallic film deposition. These antennas are able to accommodaterequired spacing from 1 mm to greater than 10 meters based upon theapplication requirements. The present method and system can fabricatesuch antenna arrays and interconnected power wires in-space with avariety of metallic materials including: Ag, Al, Ca, Cu, Mg, and alloysdepending on specifically required conductive properties. As a furtherexample, the in-space fabrication of a reflective surface, such as amirror, involves a thin metallic coating deposited onto a substrateusing thin film deposition. Mirror coatings typically involve a gold,aluminum, silver, or other reflective coating with a thickness of from afew nanometers to over 1000 nm. The present method and system depositreflective coatings with a variety of materials including: Ag, Al, Au,Be, Mg, Ti and alloys depending on specifically required opticalproperties. In addition, these coatings are able to be layered withdifferent elements to fabricate a variety of different surfaces forspace assets.

The present method and system for the fabrication of antennas, radars,reflectors, and photovoltaic power systems may use an in-space elongatemember or arm, which may be a robotic member or arm system associatedwith a satellite, a spacecraft bus, other space vehicle, space station,or other space platform to assemble, or fabricate, the substrate, and tomanipulate, or move, the vacuum vapor deposition system over thesubstrate, or manipulate, or move, the substrate over the vacuum vapordeposition system so as to coat a substrate. The substrate and vacuumvapor deposition fabrication systems are designed to be integrated with,and maneuvered by, the elongate member, or robotic arm system, whichalso provides these systems their required power and equipment. Thelength of the elongate member or robotic arm system determines themaximum dimensions an object can be manufactured and the poweravailability for the arm and the vacuum vapor deposition system from anenergy source for the system determines the rate of deposition in thevacuum vapor deposition process.

In addition to robotic arms, or elongate members or arms, a roboticgrapple may be used to maneuver the manufactured object while beingfabricated. Both the robotic arm and grapple may include autonomous ortelerobotic robotic software to control the fabrication process.

With reference to FIG. 1, a system 100 for vacuum vapor deposition of acoating, thin film or thick film material upon a substrate in a spaceenvironment in accordance with an illustrative embodiment is shown. Thedeposition system 100 generally includes: a substrate 250; a substratesupport structure 260, associated with a space platform 400; a vacuumvapor depositor, or depositor, 110 for the deposition material; and amoveable elongate member, or arm, 200, associated with the depositor,110. The system 100 may be used in a space environment, including aspreviously described in free space, LEO, SSO, GEO, in other Earthorbits, CIS-Lunar Space, the Moon or other planetary bodies, all aspreviously described. Space platform 400 may include a space station,such as the International Space Station, and preferably space platform400 is a satellite bus, or spacecraft bus, 401.

Depositor 110 may be any device or equipment that can deposit a materialupon a substrate by a vacuum vapor deposition process or any otherdeposition process herein described. The use of the term “elongatemember” is meant to include and describe any structural component, suchas the single arm 200 of FIG. 1, which generally is longer than itswidth, as well as any other structural component, or combination ofstructural components, which have the requisite characteristics to beused in the manner disclosed herein in connection with a substrate 250and a depositor 110, such as a jointed arm 200 as shown and describedherein, or a rigid arm, or a plurality of jointed and/or rigid arms.

The depositor, 110 of system 100 has a power source 111, feeding energyto the depositor 110 through the elongate member 200, or robotic arm204, and as will hereinafter be described in connection with FIGS. 2-4,the power source 111 is associated with the depositor 110 to provideenergy to the depositor 110 to excite the deposition material disposedwithin the depositor 110 to form a vapor of the deposition material.Substrate 250 may be any surface upon which a coating, a thin film or athick film may be deposited by vacuum vapor deposition, as are known inthe art, including those substrates previously described. The substrate250 may be formed of any material as previously described, and may haveany shape including, but not limited to, a square configuration,rectangular configuration, circular configuration, or any other desiredconfiguration. Substrate 250 could be a flat planar surface, or, ifdesired a curved surface, such as a convex or concave surface.

Still with reference to FIG. 1, substrate 250 is associated with thesatellite 400, by use of any suitable substrate support structure 260,whereby the substrate 250 may be associated with, or attached to, thespace platform 400. The moveable elongate member or arm 200 has firstand second ends 201, 202, and the first end 201 of the member 200 isattached to the depositor 110 in any suitable manner, such as bywelding, a threaded connection, an adjustable ball joint, or a ball andsocket. The second end 202 of the member 200 is associated with thespace platform 400, or may be associated with a satellite, spacevehicle, or space station (not shown) if desired. Preferably, member 200is a robotic arm system 204, and the operation and movement of therobotic arm, or member, system 204 may be remotely controlled to move inan appropriate manner, as will be hereinafter described. Member 200, orrobotic arm system 204, preferably includes a plurality of pivotable,hinged, and/or rotatable connectors or joints 203, whereby member 200,or robotic arm system 204, may be articulated into any desiredconfiguration to dispose the depositor 110 in any desired location withrespect to the substrate 250.

While maintaining the substrate 250 in a stationary position withrespect to the space platform 400, the member 200, or robotic arm 204 iscontrolled to move the depositor, 110 over the outer surface 251 of thesubstrate 250 at an appropriate distance, in order to have the depositor110 pass over the substrate 250 and for the vapor of deposition materialfrom depositor 110 to flow or stream to the substrate 250 to coat theouter surface 251 of the substrate with the deposition material. Thedepositor 110 is moved in a manner to cover all areas of the outersurface 251 of the substrate 250 with the deposition material to providea uniform or non-uniform coating, thin film or thick film material onthe substrate 250. The member 200 and depositor 110 may pass oversubstrate 250 in the direction illustrated by arrows 270 in FIG. 1, aswell as in the direction of arrows 275, whereby the depositor 110 passesover substrate 250 in a raster pattern, or a movement from side to sideand from top to bottom of substrate 250. The member 200 can also movethe depositor 110 over any path over the substrate 250, so as to coatthe substrate 250 with a film or coating of a desired thickness anduniformity. If desired, the substrate 250 may have overspray shields 255(FIG. 6) attached to, or fitted around, substrate 250 to eliminate orminimize coating exterior surfaces of space platform 400. The shields255 may be positioned in any orientation to best prevent overspray fromalighting on exterior surfaces of space platform 400. As shown in FIG.6, the shields 255 are panels 256 attached to the periphery of substrate250, and the panels may slant inwardly toward the center of substrate250.

Whereas in FIG. 1, the substrate 250 is maintained stationary withrespect to the space platform 400, and the depositor 110 and member 200are moved with respect to the substrate 250, if desired, an alternativeembodiment as shown in FIG. 5 is to dispose, or mount, the depositor 110in a stationary location associated with the space platform 400, and themember 200 would be associated with the substrate 250, preferably as byattaching the first end 201 of member 200 to the back surface 252 of thesubstrate 250. In this embodiment, the substrate 250 would be moved bythe member 200, or robotic arm 204, in any desired or specified pattern,such as a raster pattern, with respect to the fixed, or stationary,depositor 110 associated with space platform 400, so as to coat theouter surface 251 of substrate 250 with a coating or film of a desiredthickness and uniformity.

The system 100 of FIGS. 1 and 5 for vacuum vapor deposition of adeposition material upon substrate 250 may utilize different vacuumvapor deposition processes as are known in the art. The vapor of thedeposition material may be formed by such deposition processes asthermal evaporation, ion-beam evaporation, electron beam evaporation,laser deposition, or other physical vacuum vapor deposition processes.The deposition may also be encompassed by chemical deposition, includingchemical vapor deposition, metal organic chemical vapor deposition,metal organic deposition, or other chemical vapor deposition processes.

With reference to FIG. 2, the systems 100 of FIGS. 1 and 5 for vacuumvapor deposition of the deposition material may utilize a thermalevaporation process. In FIG. 2, the depositor 110, includes a boat, orcontainer, disposed within the depositor, as shown schematically at 112,which is nominally inert to the coating or deposition material and holdsthe deposition material. The depositor 110 includes an energy sourcedisposed within the depositor, as shown schematically at 113 in FIG. 2,to heat the container 112 to cause a vapor of the deposition material tobe formed. The energy source 113 may be a resistive heat source whichprovides Joule heating or resistive heating, to the housing, or boat,112. Energy source 113 could also be a laser or microwave heat source,or any other heating technique that can heat the boat, or container, 112to evaporate, or vaporize, the deposition material to provide thedesired vapor of deposition material to be applied to the substrate 250.As to the system 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2, energy source 113 may receive itsnecessary power requirements from the power source 111. As to the system100 of FIG. 5, the energy source for the depositor 110 mounted to thespace platform 400 may receive its necessary power directly from spaceplatform 400, or from the power source 111 associated with member 200,or robotic arm 204.

The depositor 110 may be provided with a device 120 to measure the flow,or flux, of the vapor of deposition material from the container, orboat, 112 inside depositor 110. A camera 140 may be associated with thedepositor 110 to monitor the flow of the vapor of deposition material tothe substrate 250 and to monitor the movement of the depositor 110 andmember 200, or robotic arm 204 with respect to the substrate 250. Avacuum environment measurement gauge 130 may also be associated with thedepositor 110 to measure the vacuum of the space environment proximatethe system 100. System 100 may also include a coating, or material,performance characteristic measurement device 135, associated with thedepositor 110. For example, device 135 may be reflectometer to measurethe reflection characteristics when a reflective coating is beingformed.

Still with reference to FIG. 2, the vapor of the deposition materialformed by the heating of the boat, or container, 112 inside depositor110, exits the depositor 110 via an opening, or slot, 114, formed in theupper end of the depositor 110. Depositor 110 may have a shutter orplate member 150, and the shutter 150 is moveable from a first openposition, wherein the vapor of the deposition material may flow from thecontainer or boat 112 inside the depositor 110 to the substrate 250, toa second closed position, wherein the shutter 150 blocks the flow of thevapor from the depositor 110 to the substrate 250. The shutter 150 maybe associated with, or attached to, a shutter control arm, or controlsystem, 155, and the rotation of the shutter control arm, or controlsystem, 155 moves the shutter 150 to and from the first and secondpositions. In FIG. 2, the shutter 150 is in the closed second positionas noted by reference numeral 151, wherein the shutter 150 blocks theflow of the vapor of the deposition material from the depositor 110. Thefirst open position of the shutter is also shown in FIG. 2, wherein theshutter 150 is denoted with reference numeral 152. System 100, may alsoinclude appropriate electronic equipment to control and provide theenergy for the energy source 113 and for the control of camera 140,shutter 150, and vacuum environment measurement gauge 130.

With reference to FIG. 3, the depositor 110′ of a system 100 utilizes anion-beam evaporation process to form the vapor of the depositionmaterial. This ion-beam or sputter deposition process utilizes a sputtersource 170, associated with the depositor 110′ which provides the vaporof the deposition material to be applied to the substrate 250. Depositor110′ may include the vacuum gauge 120, camera 140, vacuum environmentmeasurement gauge 130 and performance characteristic measurement device135, as previously described in connection with the depositor 110 ofFIG. 2. If desired, a shutter 150 (FIG. 2), may also be utilized withdepositor 110′ of FIG. 3. An energy source shown schematically at 113′disposed within depositor 110′ may receive its necessary power in thesame manner as described in connection with energy source 113 of FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 4, an electron beam evaporation process may beused with depositor 110″ of system 100 to form the vapor of thedeposition material to be applied to substrate 250. Depositor 110″ isprovided with an electron gun housing 180 for the electron gun thatforms the electron beam which evaporates the deposition material. Theelectron beam is directed to a crucible shown schematically at 160, inthe depositor 110″. The depositor 110″ of FIG. 4 may also include theother previously described components, vacuum gauge 120, camera 140,vacuum environment measurement gauge 130, and coating performancecharacteristic measurement device 135. Similarly, depositor 110″ mayinclude the shutter 150 of the depositor 110 of FIG. 2. An energy sourceshown schematically at 113″ in depositor 110″ may receive its necessarypower in the same manner as described in connection with energy source113 of FIG. 2.

With reference to FIGS. 7-9, a chemical vapor deposition process may beused with depositor 110″′ to form the vapor of the deposition materialto be applied to substrate 250. In general, depositor 110″′ vaporizes amixture of a precursor, a gas, typically oxygen, and a carrier gas, andthe resulting vapor is distributed over a heated substrate to form thedesired coating, thin film, or thick film upon the substrate,

The depositor 110″′ may include: a gas storage system 501; a gas flowdelivery module 502; a precursor storage system 503; a precursor feedsystem 504; an evaporator 505; a vapor distributor, or distribution,system 506; and a heating system 507; all as will be hereinafterdescribed.

The gas storage system 501 stores the gas, typically oxygen, and thecarrier gas, for example nitrogen, which is subsequently vaporized withthe precursor. Gas storage system 501 may preferably be a gas storagetank 508, a cylindrical shaped tank being shown, but any shape of tankcould be used that fits within depositor 110″′. Gas flow delivery module502 is in fluid communication with tank 508 via suitable piping 509, andmodule 502 controls the flow of the gases to the precursor feed system504 via suitable piping 510. Other carrier gases could be utilizeddependent upon the desired coating, thin film, or thick film to beformed on substrate 250. For example, use of nitrous oxide as a carriergas, when used with a suitable organometallic precursor, can form onoxide layer, or dielectric layer, upon substrate 250. Examples of othercarrier, gases, include, but are not limited to, argon, nitrogen,helium, and other gases known to those working in the field of chemicalvapor deposition processes.

Still with reference to FIGS. 7-9, precursor storage system 503 for thedesired precursor is also in fluid communication with precursor feedsystem 504, as by suitable piping 511. Feed system 504 preferablyincludes a liquid injector, or injector nozzle, which injects preciseamounts of the precursor and gases into evaporator 505. Alternatively ifdesired, precursor storage system 503 could be disposed in fluidcommunication with gas flow delivery module 502, which module 502 cancontrol the flow of precursor and the gases to the precursor feed system504. The precursor which flows into the precursor feed system 504 is aliquid precursor, which originally is in a liquid form, or may beinitially provided in a power or solid form, which is combined with asuitable solvent that dissolves the powder or solid into a liquid as isknown in the art.

Still with reference to FIGS. 7-9, the precursor and gases mixture isvaporized in a conventional manner within evaporator 505, as is known inthe art. The evaporator 505 is in fluid communication with the vapordistributor system 506 via suitable piping 512, which preferably is amanifold 513 which may include a plurality of pipes, or fluid conduits,514, 515. The vapor of the vaporized precursor and gases may flow fromevaporator 505 through manifold 513 into the vapor distribution system506. The vapor distribution system 506 includes a plurality of outlets,nozzles, or ports, which may function in a manner similar to those of ashowerhead, through which the deposition material, or precursor andgases vapor, may pass and be directed toward substrate 250. Vapordistributor system 506 may be an elongate housing 516 formed by a toppanel, or wall, 517, end panels, or walls, 518, side walls, or panels,519, and a bottom panel, or wall, 520, in which the plurality ofoutlets, nozzles, or ports 521 (FIG. 7) are formed.

Still with reference to FIGS. 7-9, heating system 507 is disposed indepositor 110″′ at a location whereby heat, or irradiation, may bedirected toward the substrate 250, to heat substrate 250. Preferably,heating system 507 may include an energy source 525, such as a pluralityof quartz halogen lamps, infra-red lamps, or high power laser diodes 526which may be disposed in a spaced relationship from the substrate 250and the housing 516 of vapor distribution system 506. The diodes orlamps 526 may be disposed substantially parallel to the side walls 519of housing 516. Cooled reflector shrouds, or shields, 550 may beprovided to reflect energy, or heat, from the diodes or lamps 526 backtoward the substrate 250. The vapor distribution system 506 uniformlydistributes the precursor and gases vapors to flow across a portion ofsubstrate 250. The precursor and gases vapors exiting the nozzles 521 ofhousing 516 are reacted under the influence of the energy source 525which has heated the substrate, and the desired coating, thin film, orthick film, such as an oxide, or dielectric, layer is formed uponsubstrate 250.

Depositor 110″′ preferably includes an arm, or elongate member, 200 orrobotic arm 204 as previously described in connection with FIGS. 1 and5, which robotic arm system 204 can supply power to, and communicationwith, depositor 110″′. The robotic arm 204 can move depositor 110″′across and over substrate 250 to cover the substrate 250 and to providea film or coating upon substrate 250 of a desired thickness anduniformity, as previously described in connection with FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 10, a deposition system 100 is shown coating asubstrate 250′, which is a linear element, such as a truss or I-beamstructural element 257, with a coating of a vapor, or flux, 258 of adeposition material by a depositor 110, as previously described.Depositor 110 may be any of the depositors, 110, 110′, 110″, 110″′,described herein. A substrate support structure (not shown) associatedwith a space platform 400 (FIG. 1) supports the substrate 250′ withrespect to the space platform 400. A moveable elongate arm or member200, as previously described has its first end 201 associated with thedepositor 100, which arm 200 moves the depositor 100 with respect to thesubstrate 250′ to coat whatever portion of the substrate is desired tobe coated. The arm 200 may be a robotic arm system 204, as previouslydescribed. The depositor 110 may be moved by the arm 200, or robotic armsystem 204 around the substrate 250′, as well as along the longitudinalaxis of the linear element 257, to completely coat the linear element257, or to coat desired portions of the linear element. If desired aplurality of depositors 110 could be associated with the arm system 204.

With reference to FIG. 11, another system 100 for vacuum vapordeposition of a coating, thin film, or thick film upon a substrate 250in a space environment in accordance with an illustrative embodiment isshown. The deposition system 100 generally includes: a depositor 110 forthe deposition material; a power and deposition materials managementmodule 601; an arm, or elongate member, 200, or robotic arm, or roboticarm system, 204, as previously described; and a power or energy source111 (FIG. 1) associated with robotic arm 204 as previously described.The depositor 110 may be any of the depositors 110, 110′, 110″, 110″′previously described herein. The power and depositor materialsmanagement module 601: supports depositor 110; contains the depositionmaterial to be vacuum vaporized into a flux, or vapor, 602 of thedeposition material, as indicated by arrows 603; controls the powerbeing supplied to depositor 110 from energy source 111 (FIG. 1) via therobotic arm 204; and manages and controls the operation of depositor 110from the electronic data communications received via robotic arm system204. One end 201 of the robotic arm system 204 is associated with themodule 601 by any suitable connector 605, such as a ball and socketconnector, or joint, 606, and the robotic arm system 204 at its otherend is associated with a space platform 400, as previously described.

Still with reference to FIG. 11, the substrate 250 is a joint, or jointarea around the joint, 610 as indicated by arrows 610′ between twostructure elements 615, 616. A substrate supports structure (not shown)associated with a space platform 400 (FIG. 1) supports substrate 250 andstructure elements 615, 616 with respect to the space platform 400.Element 615 could be a piece, or length, of a solid rod member 617 asshown in FIG. 11, or a piece, or length, of a pipe member. Structuremember 616 could be a piece of a pipe member 618 with its end 619 swagedto provide an enlarged diameter, or female end, 621 to receive the end620 of structure element 615. Alternatively, element 616 could be solidrod member with a swaged connector at end 619. Structure elements 615,616 could have other shapes and cross-sectional configurations ifdesired.

After structural elements 615, 616 have been connected together as shownin FIG. 11, depositor 110 may be operated, or energized, to form avapor, or flux 602, 603 of the deposition material; and depositor 110 ismoved by robotic arm system 204 under and around the joint area 610,610′ to deposit a coating, thin film or thick film of the depositionmaterial over the joint area 610, 610′. Preferably, a thick film of thedeposition material is formed and deposited over joint are 610, 610′.The deposited thick film can join, or bond, the two structural elements615, 616 together, or rigidize the joint 610, 610′. If desired system100 and depositor 110 of FIG. 11, may also be used to repair structuresin space or to replace a variety of materials used in space. Thedepositor 110 may utilize any number of deposition, or joining,materials, including but not limited to indium, cadmium, zinc, bariumstrontium lead, magnesium, titanium, including alloys of multiplematerials.

After the two structural elements are joined, or rigidized, aspreviously described, if desired the joint 610 may be taken apart, ordisassembled by heating the joint area 610, 610′ to remove, or dissolve,the thick film from the joint area 610, 610′ to permit the joinedstructural elements 615, 616 to be taken apart or separated from eachother. With reference to FIG. 12, a heating system 700 is associatedwith a robotic arm system 204 as previously described. Heating system700 may be moved into close proximity to the joint area 610 between thestructural elements 615, 616 by the robotic arm 204, and upon theheating system 700 being activated and operated, the joint 610 may beheated and dissolved and/or removed. Heating system 700 may include atleast one, and preferably a plurality of, energy sources 701 that cangenerate and focus heat onto the joint area 610. Energy sources 701 aredisposed within a heating system housing, or shroud, 702 and housing 702is associated with the first end 201 of a robotic arm 204 as previouslydescribed herein by any suitable connector. The energy sources maypreferably be a plurality of halogen, quartz halogen lamps, infra-redlamps, an electron beam, or any other suitable heat source 703 disposedwithin housing 702. The robotic arm system 204 is associated with apower, or energy, source 111 (FIG. 1) as previously described whichprovides the necessary energy to operate the lamps 703. The other end ofrobotic arm system 204 is associated with a space platform 400 (FIG. 1)as previously described.

If desired the interior wall surface 704 of housing 702 may be provided,or coated, with a highly reflective and/or protective material such assilver, gold, aluminum or other materials, to maximize the reflectanceof the interior wall surface 704 of housing 702 to help focus the heatenergy from lamps 703 onto the joint are 610. If desired housing 702 maybe cooled by supplying a cooling fluid or gas medium to the housing 702via robotic arm system 204. If desired, the heating system 700 of FIG.12, may be made of a plurality of segments as shown in FIG. 13, whereinheating system 700′ is formed of a plurality of heating segments 710disposed within a modified housing 702′ whereby a larger portion ofjoint 610, 610′ may be irradiated, or heated, by heating system 700′.Each heating segment 710 includes a plurality of lamps and/or other heatsources 703, and each heating segment 710 is angularly disposed from itsadjacent segment 710. Preferably, housing 702′ angularly conforms to thedisposition of heating segments 710.

At least one embodiment is disclosed and variations, combinations,and/or modifications of the embodiment(s) and/or features of theembodiment(s) made by a person having ordinary skill in the art arewithin the scope of the disclosure. Alternative embodiments that resultfrom combining, integrating, and/or omitting features of theembodiment(s) are also within the scope of the disclosure. Whennumerical ranges or limitations are expressly stated, such expressranges or limitations may be understood to include iterative ranges orlimitations of like magnitude falling within the expressly stated rangesor limitations (e.g., from about 1 to about 10 includes, 2, 3, 4, etc.;greater than 0.10 includes 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, etc.). The use of the term“about” means ±10% of the subsequent number, unless otherwise stated.

Use of the term “optionally” with respect to any element of a claimmeans that the element is required, or alternatively, the element is notrequired, both alternatives being within the scope of the claim. Use ofbroader terms such as comprises, includes, and having may be understoodto provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of, consistingessentially of, and comprised substantially of. Accordingly, the scopeof protection is not limited by the description set out above, but isdefined by the claims that follow, that scope including all equivalentsof the subject matter of the claims. Each and every claim isincorporated as further disclosure into the specification and the claimsare embodiment(s) of the present disclosure.

While several exemplary embodiments have been provided in the presentdisclosure, it may be understood that the disclosed embodiments might beembodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spiritor scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims. The presentexamples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, andthe intention is not to be limited to the details given herein. Forexample, the various elements or components may be combined orintegrated in another system or certain features may be omitted, or notimplemented.

In addition, the various exemplary embodiments described and illustratedin the various embodiments as discrete or separate may be combined orintegrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure. Other items shown ordiscussed as coupled or directly coupled or communicating with eachother may be indirectly coupled or communicating through some interface,device, or intermediate component whether electrically, mechanically, orotherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations areascertainable by one skilled in the art and may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.

I claim:
 1. A system for vacuum vapor deposition of a depositionmaterial upon a substrate in a space environment, comprising: asubstrate support structure associated with a space platform in thespace environment; a depositor for the deposition material; an energysource associated with the depositor to excite the deposition materialto form a vapor of the deposition material; and a moveable elongatemember associated with the depositor, to move the depositor over thesubstrate, whereby the vapor of deposition material from the depositormay pass over the substrate and flow to the substrate to coat thesubstrate with the deposition material.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, the first endbeing attached to the depositor, and the second being associated withthe space platform.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the elongatemember is a robotic arm.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein a shutter isassociated with the depositor and is moveable from a first position withrespect to the depositor, wherein the vapor of the deposition materialmay flow from the depositor to the substrate, to a second position,wherein the shutter blocks the flow of the vapor from the depositor tothe substrate.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein a vacuum gauge isassociated with the depositor to measure the flow of the vapor ofdeposition material from the depositor.
 6. The system of claim 1,including a heating system which can heat the substrate to remove thedeposition material.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the depositorincludes a precursor storage system, and a heating system to heat thesubstrate.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy source is aresistive heat source.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the energysource is a laser.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy sourceis an electron beam.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the energysource is an ion beam.
 12. The system of claim 1, including a functionalmaterial performance characteristic measurement device.
 13. The systemof claim 1, wherein the space platform is a spacecraft bus.
 14. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes at least one oversprayshield.
 15. A method for vacuum vapor deposition of a depositionmaterial upon a substrate in a space environment to form a functionalmaterial on the substrate comprising: disposing a substrate on asubstrate support structure associated with a space platform in thespace environment; providing a depositor for the deposition material;providing an energy source associated with the depositor and excitingthe deposition material to form a vapor of the deposition material;providing a moveable elongate member, associated with the depositor; andmoving the depositor and the elongate member to pass over the substrateto direct the vapor of the deposition material to flow to the substrateto form a functional material on the substrate.
 16. The method of claim15, wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, and attachingthe first end to the depositor, and associating the second with thespace platform.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the elongate memberis a robotic arm system.
 18. The method of claim 15, includingassociating a shutter with the depositor which is moveable from a firstposition with respect to the depositor, which first position permits thevapor of the deposition material to flow from the depositor to thesubstrate, to a second position, which second position blocks the flowof the vapor from the depositor to the substrate.
 19. The method ofclaim 15, including associating a vacuum gauge with the depositor andmeasuring the flow of the vapor of deposition material from thedepositor.
 20. The method of claim 15, including associating a vacuumenvironment measurement gauge with the depositor and measuring thevacuum in the space environment proximate the system.
 21. The method ofclaim 15, including associating a precursor storage system and a heatingsystem with the depositor, the heating system being capable of heatingthe substrate.
 22. The method of claim 15, including utilizing aresistive heat source as the energy source.
 23. The method of claim 15,including utilizing a laser as the energy source.
 24. The method ofclaim 15, including utilizing an electron beam as the energy source. 25.The method of claim 15, including utilizing an ion beam as the heatsource.
 26. The method of claim 15, including providing a coatingperformance characteristic measurement device, and measuring aperformance characteristic of the functional material.
 27. The method ofclaim 15, wherein the space platform is a spacecraft bus.
 28. The methodof claim 15, including providing the substrate with at least oneoverspray shield.
 29. A system for vacuum vapor deposition of adeposition material upon a substrate in a space environment, comprising:a substrate support structure associated with a space platform in thespace environment; a depositor for the deposition material, thedepositor being associated with the space platform; an energy sourceassociated with the depositor to excite the deposition material to forma vapor of the deposition material; and the substrate support structureincludes a moveable elongate member associated with the substrate, tomove the substrate over the depositor, whereby the vapor of depositionmaterial from the depositor may flow from the depositor to the substrateto coat the substrate with the deposition material.
 30. The system ofclaim 29, wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, thefirst end being attached to the substrate, and the second end beingassociated with the space platform.
 31. The system of claim 30, whereinthe elongate member is a robotic arm system.
 32. The system of claim 29,wherein a shutter is associated with the depositor and is moveable froma first position with respect to the depositor, wherein the vapor of thedeposition material may flow from the depositor to the substrate, to asecond position, wherein the shutter blocks the flow of the vapor fromthe depositor to the substrate.
 33. The system of claim 29, wherein avacuum gauge is associated with the depositor to measure the flow of thevapor of deposition material from the depositor.
 34. The system of claim29, wherein a vacuum environment measurement gauge is associated withthe depositor to measure the vacuum in the space environment proximatethe system.
 35. The system of claim 29, wherein a camera is associatedwith the depositor to monitor the flow of the vapor of depositionmaterial to the substrate and the movement of the substrate and elongatemember with respect to the substrate.
 36. The system of claim 29,wherein the energy source is a resistive heat source.
 37. The system ofclaim 29, wherein the energy source is a laser.
 38. The system of claim29, wherein the energy source is an electron beam.
 39. The system ofclaim 29, wherein the energy source is an ion beam.
 40. The system ofclaim 29, including a functional material performance characteristicmeasurement device.
 41. The system of claim 29, wherein the spaceplatform is a spacecraft bus.
 42. The system of claim 29, wherein thedepositor includes a precursor storage system, and a heating system toheat the substrate.
 43. A method for vacuum vapor deposition of adeposition material upon a substrate in a space environment to form afunctional material on the substrate comprising: providing a substratein the space environment; providing a depositor for the depositionmaterial associated with a space platform in the space environment;providing an energy source associated with the depositor and excitingthe deposition material to form a vapor of the deposition material;providing a moveable elongate member, associated with the substrate; andmoving the substrate and the elongate member to pass over the depositorto direct the vapor of the deposition material to flow to the substrateto form a functional material on the substrate.
 44. The method of claim43, wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, and attachingthe first end to the substrate, and associating the second end with thespace platform.
 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the elongate memberis a robotic arm system.
 46. The method of claim 43, includingassociating a shutter with the depositor which is moveable from a firstposition with respect to the depositor, which first position permits thevapor of the deposition material to flow from the depositor to thesubstrate, to a second position, which second position blocks the flowof the vapor from the depositor to the substrate.
 47. The method ofclaim 43, including associating a vacuum gauge with the depositor andmeasuring the flow of the vapor of deposition material from thedepositor.
 48. The method of claim 43, including associating a vacuumenvironment measurement gauge with the depositor and measuring thevacuum in the space environment proximate the system.
 49. The method ofclaim 43, including associating a camera with the depositor andmonitoring the flow of the vapor of deposition material to the substrateand monitoring the movement of the substrate and elongate member withrespect to the depositor.
 50. The method of claim 43, includingutilizing a resistive heat source as the energy source.
 51. The methodof claim 43, including utilizing a laser as the energy source.
 52. Themethod of claim 43, including utilizing an electron beam as the energysource.
 53. The method of claim 43, including utilizing an ion beam asthe energy source.
 54. The method of claim 43, including providing acoating performance characteristic measurement device, and measuring aperformance characteristic of the functional material.
 55. The method ofclaim 43, wherein the space platform is a spacecraft bus.
 56. The methodof claim 43, including associating a precursor storage system and aheating system with the depositor, the heating system being capable ofheating the substrate.
 57. A method for vacuum vapor deposition of adeposition material upon a substrate in a space environment to join afirst structural element to a second structural element comprising:disposing a substrate in a substrate support structure associated with aspace platform in the space environment, wherein the substrate is ajoint between the first and second structural members; providing adepositor for the deposition material; providing an energy sourceassociated with the depositor and exciting the deposition material toform a vapor of the deposition material; providing a moveable elongatemember, associated with the depositor; and moving the depositor and theelongate member to pass over the substrate to direct the vapor of thedeposition material to flow to the substrate to join the first andsecond structural elements to each other.
 58. The method of claim 57,wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, and attaching thefirst end to the depositor, and associating the second with the spaceplatform.
 59. The method of claim 57, wherein the elongate member is arobotic arm system.
 60. The method of claim 57, wherein the spaceplatform is a spacecraft bus.
 61. The method of claim 57, includingproviding a heating system to heat the substrate to remove thedeposition material to unjoin the first and second structural elements.